DIETARY INTAKE AND URINARY EXCRETION OF POTASSIUM IN THE ELDERLY

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Abstract
Dietary potassium intake was estimated in 46 men and 88 women randomly selected from people aged 65 and over living in their own homes, and 24-hour urinary potassium, creatinine, and urea excretions were determined. The mean dietary potassium intake was 71 mEq/day in men and 54 mEq/day in women. There was a decline with age in both sexes. The sex and age differences were eliminated by expression of dietary potassium intake per unit lean body mass. Urinary potassium excretion averaged 51 mEq/day in men and 44 mEq/day in women, and again the sex difference and decline with age were abolished by expression of urinary potassium per unit lean body mass. There were highly significant relationships between dietary and urinary potassium. Consideration of the regression lines of these correlations suggested that if faecal potassium losses were 5 mEq/day, a negative potassium balance would be inevitable if dietary potassium fell below 27 mEq/day in men and 35 mEq/day in women. These findings are discussed in the light of experimental studies on dietary potassium restriction in man.

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